The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-02-26

n
1t was the morning before Valen-
tins Day, and Electra was baking
buckwheat cakes in the kitchen.
Her stepmother believed in early
breakfasts and Electra was up before
daylight on the short winter morn
ings.
The savory odor of broiled ham
greeted Mrs. Feversham as she came
briskly clicking down stairs, a plaid
breakfast shawl hugged tightly
around her shoulders.
"Ahem is that snow sifted under
the door: she asked herself, as she
reached the bottom step.
A closer inspection assured her ii
was not.
"Why it's-it's valentine! !"
And hastily seizing the missiye,
she stepped into the parlor to exam
inc it privately.
"For Electra! Well, 1 declare {!
Who's it from, | wonder? There's
no harm in opening valentine, so
I'll just see what it's"
And carefully prying open the en-
yelope, Mrs. Feversham beheId a
tastefully-dec0rated sheet of rice pa
per, on the inner side of which were
written some words, which she pro-
ceeded to read:
miss ELECTRA: | shall pass your
home at sunrise tomorrow morning,
st. Valentines Day. If | see your
face at the window, shall take it as
a sign that you are willing to accept
me as your valentine.
Yours, sincerely,
MALVERN TRAVERs."
"Oh, indeed !" Mrs. Ignatia grew
red in the face as she comprehended
the purport of the words. $50 it's
her he's been coming to see, hey :?
PU have finger in that pie, NAL
vern Travers! I'll take charge of
this document myself. And it won't
be E2ectrd'S face you'll see at sun
rise !"
And carefully secreting the valen-
tine, she hurried out to the warm
dining-room and the waiting break
fast.
An hour or two later, Mrs. Fever
sham. arrayed in her black calico
riding shirt, her second-best shawl
and hat. appeared in the kitchen,
| Where Electra was mopping the aJor.
"I'm going over to see old Mrs.
Dimity. heard she was sick" she
announced. And L shan't be back
to dinner, so you needn't mind cook
ing any. There's enough cold cakes
left over from breakfast for YOU"
And Electra made no comments,
having more discretion than to ques-
tion anything her stepmother chose to
say or do.
1t was short time after the din
ner hour when Mrs. Feversham re-
turned.
"The old woman's pretty sick, an
l promised you might 90 over an
stay all night, an set up, if need
be-" she informed her daughter.
YCu can walk easy enough, fur the
snow amt very deep.
Electra had no objections to make,
and indeed it would have made no
difference if she had, as her will was
seldom consulted.
Old Mrs. Dimity lived with her
son and grandson in small but cosy
cabin situated in the very heart OF
the woodland.
She welcomed Electra cordially,
but disclaimed the need of having
anyone sit up with her.
"But Pm glad to have some one to
talk to-" she added, "and to look
after things little. Jim Tom has
the chores to do, an wood to chop,
an little Sammy gifts awful tired
staying in the house with me-"
"I'm a-going to ketch a squirrel in
the woods for pet" cried Sammy,
seizing his cap and mittens and rush.
ing off forgetting to close the door in
his eagerness.
Electra ard Mrs. Dimity chatted
for awhile. when the old lady fell as
leep. and after a time Sammy came
back.
II didn't ketch the squirrel" he
announced, "but look a-here what |
found in the tree ~
And drawing crumpled paper
from his pocket, he laid ii in Electra's
lap.
"Miss Electra Feversham." Why
it was her own name! And with
some natural excitement she exam
ined the contents of the envelope.
A valentine from Malvern Trav.
u 4. 4